CHAPTER THIRTY–EIGHT

Liana’s POV

My father looked straight into my eyes, not moving, not blinking.

“Are you sure about what you’re saying?”

I nodded slowly through the tears that refused to stop falling. “Yes. I’m sure. I’ll do anything. Just… please don’t push me

away. I can’t take that.”

“LIANAb!/bb” /b

Killian’s voice sliced through the air like thunder. I didn’t need to turn, I already knew the sound of his rage. He stormed

toward us, his eyes wide with disbelief, fists clenched like he was barely keeping himself together.

“What the hell are you saying?”

I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.

“Please, Dad,” I repeated, my voice shaky but firm. “If it means you’ll forgive me… I’ll leave Killian. I’ll do it.

“The fuck byou /bwill,” Killian growled, yanking me gently but firmly toward him. b“/bYou’re not doing this. I

“Let go of me,” I said, trying to pull my hand back.

“No,” he barked, his voice raw. “No! Look at me!b” /b

“I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!” I screamed, shoving him off me. “STAY OUT OF THIS, KILLIAN!”

He didn’t back down. His chest was rising and falling fast, his face twisted with pain and rage.

”

let you.

”

b“/bbYou /bbelong to me,” he said, staring right at me, loud enough for everyone to hear. b“/bYou fucking belong to me, Liana. You

think I’ll stand here and watch you walk away again? You think I’ll let that happen? Neverb! /bNever! bI /bwon’t allow it.”

bMy /bfather stepped in front of me protectively. “Watch your tone. That’s my daughter you’re talking to.”

Killian’s eyes didn’t beven /bmove. “She’s mine,” he snapped. b“/bMineb. /bMine!”

He growled low in his throat, as if something inside him was about to snap.

“Liana,” he whispered hoarselyb, /bgrabbing both my hands, kissing my palms, his voice breaking b“/bI’ll do anything you want. any damn thing. But don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me. I love byou/b. I can’t… I can’t imagine my life without you again. Please.

Don’t do thisb./bb” /b

His eyes were red and desperate. I could see him breaking right in front of me.

I gently pushed his hands awayb, /bbeven /bthough everything inside me was falling apart. b“/bThere are bso /bmany reasons why we

can never be together, Killian. bSo/bb, /bso many.b” /b

“I don’t careb!/b” he yelled. “I don’t fucking careb!/bb” /b

“Well, I do!” I shouted back. “I care! I care about my father. I care about Ryan. I care about the fact that bI’ve /bbbeen /bliving in shame and confusion for years because of byou/b,”

My dad raised his hand, cutting us both off. “That’s enough. Lianab, /bgo inside and bpack /byour things. We’re going bhome/b. bYou /band Ryan both.b” /b

I stood frozen.

b“/bbGo /bbon/b,” he said, quieter this timeb. /bb“/bbNo /bdaughter of mine is going to bstay /bin a man’s bhouse /bwhen I have a bhouse /bwith her name

38

bon /bit.”

He turned to Killian. “And don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done. You her and made her life revolve around you. You think you’re doing her a favor

Killian opened his mouth, but my dad didn’t stop.

my daughter like a dirty secret. You ruined

“…by offering her a job in yourpany just so she’d stay under you–what kind of man does that? You can’t even let her

breathe without wanting to control her.”

“That’s not true-”

“To hell with your job offer. To hell with your house. You can’t have everything, Killian. You

own her too.”

destroy her

then try to

Killian’s fists were trembling now, his breathing uneven, as if he was holding back something

He turned to me. “Go inside. Pack up. We’re leaving.”

“It’s over,” my father continued. “She has a dad. I’m still here. and I will give her everything she needs,

never need to rely on you again.”

dignity. She’ll

?

Killian growled a deep, animalistic sound that made everyone freeze. It wasn’t just anger. It was something darker, deeper, as if the thing inside him had finally snapped.

b“/bDon’t…” he warned. b“/bbDon’t /btake her from me.”

Mother rushed toward him, grabbing his arm.

“Killian, stop it,” she hissed. “Stop it now before you do something you’ll regret.”

He didn’t move. His jaw was locked, his body shaking.

“She’s all I have,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “She’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“And you’re scaring herb,/bb” /bshe snapped, dragging him back by the arm. “Get inside. Let her go.”

He didn’t budge. He looked at me, broken. Lost.

“Liana… please…”

I couldn’t say anything. My chest was too tight. My throat too raw.

My dad stepped closer and touched my shoulder gently. “Go pack up. Bring Ryan. We’re going home, where you’ll be respected and taken care of. Where no man can hurt you again.”

I looked onest time at Killian. His eyes said everything. Pain. anger. Fear. bLove/b.

But it wasn’t enough.

Not anymore.

I turned away. And this time, I didn’t look back.